Construction of jails



(No Model.)

No. 272,296. Patented Feb. 13, 1883. a am].

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL M. MoLFlAN, on MODESTO, CALIFORNIA.

CONSTRUCTION OF JAILS, 84C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 272,296, dated February 13, 1883.

Application filed' November 1,1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL MERIWITHER MOLEAN, of Modesto, in the county of Stanislaus and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Jails, &c.; and Ido hereby declare that the following is. a full, clear, and exact def scription of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which the figure is a side view of the system of pipes constituting my invention. J

My invention relates to an improvement in the construction of jails designed to prevent prisoners from breaking out and escaping therefrom, and Which'improvement is also applicable to treasure-vaults to prevent burglars from breaking into thesame. v

It consists in lining the walls with, or inqgrporating in the same, a net-work of waterpipes supplied by Waterunder pressure from the city mains or other suitable supply, by which arrangement any attempt at cutting through said pipes results in the flooding of the building, which gives notice to the guard of the attempt before it can be successful.

In the drawing, A represents a system of water-pipes forming one side of the cell or chamber. These pipes are placed about ten inches apart, parallel to each other, and they cross each other at right angles andare connected at the point of crossing by double couplings, b. This system of pipes has two or more sources of supply, as at a a, at the corners. This system of pipes may be made to cover the side walls of the cell or chamber, the ceiling, the floor, or all of them, or it may be made simply to protect the windows as a grating. The provision thus made effectually prevents jail-delivery, or the breaking into treasure-vaults, for, in order to eflect a passage through the same at least four pipes each of an inch diameter will have to be cut, and before this work can be completed the water flowing from the ones first cut would deluge the building and give notice of the attempt.

For enabling the guard to know when an attempt is being made to saw through the pipes, a pressure-gage may be arranged in the guards room,which will indicatea diminution of pressure whenever the water commences to esfiape through a sawed pipe.

In cold weather the water in the pipes can be slightly warmed, so as to avoid freezing and at the same time impart asufficient degree of warmth to the jail.

Having thus described my invention, what v I claim as new is A jail cellorchamberhavingits walls Wholly or partially covered with a net-Work of waterpipes supplied with water from a suitable.

source, as and for the purpose described.

SAMUEL MERIWITHER lllcLEAN. Witnesses:

L. O. BRANCH, G. W EVANS. 

